Most of us women can attest to the fact that when it comes to our jeans, we wear one or two favourites and ignore the rest in our closets (guilty). Jeans are uniquely made to fit and flatter every body shape, so don’t be dropping serious cash on a pair of you’ll only wear once (or not at all). Here are my tips on finding that perfect pair:
Curvy?
For the curvier woman, a higher rise will tighten up the tummy and elongate your legs. Go for a darker wash such as a solid navy or black. These hues will keep everything streamlined. Look for jeans such as the Kimmie Contour Bootcut from 7 For All Mankind.
Pear shaped?
You carry more weight on your hips and thighs, but a mid-rise jean will slim it all down and elongate those legs. Also, look for bigger back pockets such as the Brooke jeans from J Brand since they will make your behind look smaller.
Hourglass?
To show off your figure, go for a mid-rise to flatter your smaller waist. A wide legged jean will be the most flattering since it will not only make your legs look slimmer, but create a smooth line from your waist down. A great example is the Fiona Flare by Paige Premium Denim.
Petite?
Girl, don’t ever let jeans drag on the floor. A skinny jean will be your best bet if you need to hem, plus the fit will stretch you out. Jeans that hit right at the ankle are also flattering on shorter women since it will give the illusion of longer legs. Look for jeans such as the Moto Mid Stone Leigh Jeans from TopShop.
Tall?
Bootcut or skinny jeans are the most flattering on tall, slender women. If you don’t want your legs to be the main attraction, find jeans with fading such as the Grupee jean from Diesel. This will give draw attention away from your leg length.
Athletic?
A slightly higher waist will make muscular legs will look long and lean. For athletic women, a bootcut with a wide leg will fit your thighs nicely, lengthen your legs and give your figure a more feminine silhouette. Look for jeans such the Lolita Boot from Lucky Brand.
Jessica Moy Blog 
Oh man. This is the classic Old Navy syndrome. Jeans for “every body”…and every single stinkin’ model in the pictures looks EXACTLY the same: long and lean! Get real and take it from a curvy girl: none of these models are “pear shaped” or “curvy.” This is nothing against women of any size — we all have our beautiful aspects and nobody should be criticized or shamed for being large or thin or anything in between. We just shouldn’t plaster pictures of 115-pound people who are probably 5’10” as examples of “pear-shaped” women, or women with really athletic thighs. LOL.
I’m an arts and culture journalist, but there’s a reason I’m not in the fashion industry and don’t know much about it. I hate the way that “dress to flatter your body type” articles ostensibly are written to celebrate many shapes, but what the advice almost always boils down to is what to wear to make it look like you are taller or leaner: i.e., not to enjoy your body in the shape it naturally has, but how to disguise it, using the “right” clothes, into the shape we see idolized in magazines.
That Old Navy blog post I wrote about how ridiculous it was trying to find jeans there is one of the most visited posts on my site, and I never expected that. But I think that proves my original point: women can’t tell jack from looking at those stupid Old Navy photos, where all the women actually look just the same. Maybe I better blog some more about it.
Thank you Alaina for your very passionate comment. While I do agree the photos I posted are all women, more or less, of the same size – they are really there for examples. I believe my tips are helpful to make every woman feel a little more confident within themselves, whether it’s looking for the right colour or type of jean to suit them. It makes the shopping trip easier if you know specifically what you’re looking for. Whether anyone takes these tips into consideration or not, that’s for each woman to decide. 🙂
Yes – and anything I say about shopping should be taken with a huge grain of salt, because I hate shopping with every fiber of my being. I only do it when my clothes literally get holes in them. So I am not one to pontificate about fashion, though body image is a topic that interests me a lot. And I do like to find the humor in things. Would love your take on my infamous Old Navy post. Ladies clearly need some advice on jeans, judging from the Google searches…
p.s. I’m actually not sure how a link to your site showed up in a spammy comment on my blog, but this is a link to the Old Navy post I’m talking about: http://alainamabaso.com/2013/09/07/the-agony-and-the-irony-of-shopping-at-old-navy/#comment-14456
Best of luck to you (from your sister in chocolate peanut butter bliss)
Oh no! I’m sending spam? That’s no good. Sorry about that! I will certainly check out your post. 🙂
It was strange…a comment apparently from a non-active site sent a link to your blog post to my comments. The internets is weird. Anyway, nice to”meet” you.